Robert Moorman Bassett was born January 29, 1940 in Danville, Kentucky to Elizabeth Mary Earthman Bassett and Charles Caroll Bassett. JoAnn, his older sister (5 years old at the time) remembers praying for a girl, but wanting a new baby brother. She was praying that way because it seemed to her that she would always get the opposite of what she prayed for. The whole family welcomed the arrival of a new baby boy. Though all three children competed for their parents' attention, JoAnn took special care of Robert and would commonly use her special "back tickle" technique to settle him down and get him to fall asleep as an infant.

When Robert first began his academic experience, he demonstrated exceptional intelligence at the first grade level, however it became clear later on that Robert had been strongly affected by dyslexia. Elizabeth, being the Irish fighter that she was, took this challenge head-on and began to educate herself on the latest and most effective techniques for dealing with dyslexia. She later became a facilitator, educator, tester and tutor with Dr. Charles Shedd's Program for dyslexia at Asbury University, a role that she carried into old age and was still testing and tutoring until age 89. Robert not only benefited from her efforts, but followed in his mother's wake working as an assistant to Dr. Shedd, also testing and tutoring as a young man and into his thirties.

Robert was very close to his father and was his father's "tag along" from an early age through high school. Charles Bassett, his father, was gifted mechanically and later became an inventor. As a young father, he lost his job due to the Great Depression, and moved to Danville, Kentucky. Soon afterward, he started working at Belknap Hardware Company (a regional giant) and began working in the warehouse. He later worked as a draftsman, then a traveling salesman sometimes flying his Piper Cub airplane to his intended destinations. He designed company delivery systems, later he became the company's Chief Engineer, he developed and wrote patents on a host of Belknap products, and eventually retired as Belknap's Vice President. As mentioned, he was a pilot, and he was also commissioned to train young pilots by the Army Air Corps in WW2. Charles mentored his son Robert in many ways, especially in mechanical skills, wood working, boating and fishing. Speaking to the friends Robert grew up with, they would comment, "Bob is one of the smartest guys I know, he knows a little about everything. He can also take a whole car apart and put it back together in a weekend." Robert and his father also loved to fish, and in many of the family pictures, he and his father had stinger lines full of 30-40 fish they muscled up for the photo of their catch that day. When asked by Hickory Creek staff, "In your memories, what were your best days?" Robert responded, "My best days are days that I spent the whole day fishing!"

For work, Robert later took a job as a manager for Kentucky Fried Chicken, Corp., and worked his way up to a Regional Manager over seven stores. He also established a pizza parlour in Memphis at one point, in addition to working as a Truck Driver coast to coast.

In retirement, Robert took on the hobby of pottery. He became very skilled at it, especially when he and his longtime girl-friend Elaine moved to South Carolina. He was a member of a pottery group who were not only skilled potters, but were also excellent fund-raisers, often raising thousands of dollars for local charities by donating their works and selling them at charity events. In 2019, Robert moved to Scottsburg, IN to live with his Sister Betty for support from his family due to his advancing Parkinson's disease symptoms.

As his health continued to decline, Betty (now 90 years old) was faithful to cook and care for him despite working long hours doing promotional displays at Walmart and other venues. Sometimes, Ian would pull into the driveway to check on them before his work day, and would note the dim brake lights of her car on with Betty at the wheel asleep from exhaustion after finally making it home from the long day before. Although Robert had to leave his pottery hobby behind when he moved to live with his sister, his pottery work will live on for many years as he has left behind many creative vessels of the earth. His hobby carries so many spiritual overtones as we are all spirits and souls dwelling within finite earthen vessels created for God's purpose and plan. Robert's spirit and soul is now free from the suffering and pain associated with that earthen vessel. Bob died early in the morning of December 10, 2024 in the peaceful and loving care of the staff, his family and friends at Hickory Creek in Madison, Indiana.

In his love,

Ian C. Bruton

Funeral services will be held at 12:30 P.M. on Monday, December 16, 2024 at the Garr Funeral Home (7806 Highway 311, Sellersburg, Indiana 47172) with interment to follow at Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville, Kentucky. Visitation will be held on Monday from 10:00 A.M. until the time of the service at the funeral home.